Shinsegae's E-Mart Reports Highest First-Quarter Operating Profit in 14 Years Shinsegae Group Chairman Jeong Yong-jin's declaration of a "year of renewed growth" at the start of the year has been validated by impressive first-quarter results. E-Mart reported an operating profit of 178.3 billion won, marking its highest first-quarter performance in 14 years. Traders also achieved record quarterly sales, and the impact of the Starfield Market renovation is evident in the numbers. E-Mart announced on May 13 that its consolidated operating profit rose 11.9% ye May 13, 2026

Fashion Designer Choi Bok-ho Reflects on His Journey Ahead of 80th Birthday Choi Bok-ho, a pioneer in South Korea's fashion industry, shares his tumultuous life story and success journey. In an episode airing on May 13, EBS's 'The Millionaire Next Door' features Choi Bok-ho, a fashion designer with cumulative sales of approximately 500 billion won. Debuting in 1973, he is recognized as a living legend in the Korean fashion scene, marking his 53rd year in the industry. The broadcast will showcase Choi's tailor shop nestled deep in the mountains of Cheongdo, Gye May 13, 2026

President Trump Arrives in Beijing for Three-Day State Visit Donald Trump, the President of the United States, arrived in Beijing on May 13, beginning a three-day state visit. According to Yonhap News, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that Trump’s Air Force One landed at Beijing Capital International Airport at 7:49 PM local time. This marks the first visit by a U.S. president to China in nine years, since Trump’s first term in November 2017. The visit comes amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China over trade tariffs, the Tai May 13, 2026

Operator of Illegal Filming Site AVMOV Arrested Amid Flight Risk Concerns Authorities have arrested a key operator of the online site AVMOV, which distributed illegal filming materials targeting families and couples.According to Yonhap News on May 13, the Suwon District Court issued an arrest warrant for a man in his 40s, identified as A, who faces charges under the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes and the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth from Sexual Abuse. The court cited concerns over potential flight and evidence destruction as rea May 13, 2026

SK Networks Reports 102% Increase in Q1 Operating Profit SK Networks announced on May 13 that its consolidated operating profit for the first quarter of this year reached 33.35 billion won, marking a 102.4% increase compared to the same period last year. The company reported first-quarter revenue of 1.74 trillion won, a 6.5% increase, while its net profit turned positive at 427 billion won. Compared to the previous quarter, revenue rose by 7.7%, and operating profit surged by 651.7%. Additionally, SK Networks completed a transaction with Anchor May 13, 2026

Police Raid National Agricultural Cooperative Federation Over Alleged Legal Fee Payments Police have launched a raid on the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NACF) amid allegations that it covered legal fees for its employees. According to Yonhap News on May 13, the Financial Crimes Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police conducted searches at the NACF's compliance support department in Jung-gu, Seoul. Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs discovered during a comprehensive audit that 320 million won (approximately $240,000) of May 13, 2026

Taiwan Conducts Live-Fire Drills Near China Ahead of Trump’s Beijing Visit Taiwan conducted large-scale live-fire drills on a frontline island as U.S. President Donald Trump traveled to Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to Yonhap News on May 13, Taiwan's United Daily News reported that the Taiwan Army's Kinmen Defense Command carried out extensive live-fire exercises early that morning along the coast of Kinmen, the island closest to China. The drills simulated a potential landing invasion by the People's Liberation Army, utilizing art May 13, 2026

SoftBank Group Reports Record Annual Profit of 5 Trillion Yen SoftBank Group (SBG), led by Chairman Masayoshi Son, reported a record net profit of 5.02 trillion yen (approximately $47.2 billion) for the previous year, marking the largest profit ever recorded by a Japanese company. According to a financial statement released by SBG on May 13, the net profit represents a 4.3-fold increase compared to the previous year. The surge in profit was driven by the rising valuation of OpenAI, in which SBG has invested through its Vision Fund. SBG's investmen May 13, 2026

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok to Host Dinner with Democratic Party Leadership Prime Minister Kim Min-seok will host a dinner with the leadership of the Democratic Party on May 19. According to Yonhap News on May 13, Kim will meet with Democratic Party floor leader Han Byeong-do and other party leaders at the Prime Minister's residence in Seoul. The dinner was arranged at the request of the party's leadership, and 18 members, including Han and the chief deputy floor leader, are expected to attend.Previously, Kim held dinners with lawmakers from both parties on May 11 and 1 May 13, 2026

IEA Warns of Global Oil Supply Shortage by Year-End Amid Middle East Conflict As U.S.-Iran ceasefire negotiations remain stalled and tensions escalate, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has projected that global oil supply will fall short of total demand this year due to the ongoing conflict. According to a report released by the IEA on May 13, global oil demand is expected to reach 100.4 million barrels per day in 2026. This figure is 1.3 million barrels per day lower than the levels recorded before the outbreak of war following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in May 13, 2026